is a
Commune , and the chief town of two
Cantons and of an
Arrondissement of the
Orne ''
Département '', in
France .
Argentan is located 180 km NE of
Rennes , 131 km ENE of
Le-Mont-Saint-Michel , 188 km SE of
Cherbourg , 58 km SSE of
Caen , 133 km SW of
Rouen and 100 km N of
Le Mans .
Argentan is an old
Roman city built along the
Orne River . The city continued to grow during the
Middle Ages . Argentan was the site of the
Battle Of Argentan in
1944 during the
Second World War .
With Viking invasion, in north of France, the «
Neustrie » became «
Normandy » (literally: north man country). The Viking chief, « Rolf the walker », let this little town for one of his lieutenant.
During all Middle Ages, Argentan was, turn to turn, a rich place, or totally burnt. With war against English army, English forces several times occupied the city. In fact, the
Plantagenet had considered this town as one of the most important towns of Normandy.
During
Louis XIV time,
Colbert pushed
Alençon against Argentan by economic competition about
Lace . By this way, the ''Point of Argentan'' was founded. Argentan became a very important city for traditional industry, moreover for religious power with
Benedictines and convent. Two very impressive churches were built: Saint-Martin and Saint-Germain; Several particular hotels to.
With the under the 104th infantry regiment in
1916 . During the Second World War, the city was almost totally destroyed.
In 1944, during the June 6th bombing preceding the
Allied Landings At Normandy , the city was partially destroyed by
B-17 s. The majority of the city was, however, destroyed at the end of August the same year. The
U.S. Third Army , under the command of general
George S. Patton liberated Argentan after eight days of violent combats against the 9 panzer division and soldiers of the 2.SS panzer division. It was the
U.S. 80th Infantry Division which liberated the city, in the morning of August 20. The city burnt again.
Today the town is developing tourism.
Argentan was the birthplace of:
Argentan is twinned with:
